1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to schemes for modifying and expanding the functionality of websites.
2. Background
Third party software applications or add-ons have been developed to enhance website functionality and enhance website management. To deploy such third party applications it is necessary to integrate the website with the applications by placing additional lines of code into the website source code. The process of integrating (or linking) third party software applications with a website may be thought of as “application enabling” of the website.
In today's online commerce and technology environments, there is a great need for application enabling of websites in a non-programming manner, to enable the reuse of third party developed, specialized components that will increase the capabilities and efficiencies of websites, while at the same time reducing the development cost and time needed for implementation.
Some examples of third party web applications include website optimization solutions, web analytics, advertisement, and web content management solutions that enable more effective website management. Similarly, there are reusable components that enable shopping cart functionality, news section management, and other website functionalities that may be handled by third party web applications.
Prior art approaches to application enabling of websites include manual source code changes in conjunction with third party software installation, proxy server based enabling, and automated source code changes as further described below.
Application enabling by manual source code change involves inserting additional lines of code into website source code, which additional lines initialize the execution of the third party applications. This requires a breadth of technical and programming language knowledge, thereby limiting the distribution and use of third party developed web applications to a relatively small number of organizations that have know-how and operational setup needed to effectively carry out such projects. The main difficulties of this approach stem form website source code being often poorly documented, as well as poorly structured, so that even seasoned website programmers may have difficulty creating modifications. Even where appropriately qualified individuals are involved in the website modification process, the tedious nature of the exercise can lead to errors and mistakes, and is also time-consuming.
Application enabling by proxy server for the website optimization and visitor tracking is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20060271671A1, for example. In that reference, the website optimization application is executed through a modification module that changes website content and tracks website visitors' behavior. This method replaces the complexity of the website source code manipulation in the manual approach with another complicated task of creating (“wiring”) the modification module. Further, the method also requires the involvement of skilled technical resources, creating another impediment to mass adoption.
Another approach for website application enabling is discussed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/729,569 filed Mar. 29, 2007 by Buchs, et al., and assigned to Hiconversion, Inc., the assignee of the present letters patent, for “Method and Apparatus for Application Enabling of Websites.” This approach automates the process of source code changes through the use of visual tools that have the ability to acquire end-user input about location on the live web page, and the type of functionality that will be added to that location. It further has the ability to merge that input with the third party installation code that will be inserted into the website source code for application enabling. Also, this approach eliminates technical complexity, and makes it possible for a great number of organizations to take the advantage of third party web applications.